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Vengeance Rises
Vengeance Rises is a Raid Event scheduled to start on February 2, 2015 at 12:00 AM (PST) and end on February 7, 2015 at 7:59 PM (PST). Half-time reward calculation Period is from February 3rd 7:00 PM to 7:59 PM (PST). Second Episode of the Mother Ark Story. __TOC__ Feature Сhanges * The amount of Crystals Raid Bosses drop and the prices in the Crystal Exchange have been adjusted: ** Players now rewarded 20 Crystals per one Boss and 30 Crystals per one Hidden Boss. * LoC celebrates it's 1,000th day on 4th February and starts Raid Login Present Campaign which gives Orbs of Sacred Light. Raid Bosses Skill Cards * Cassandra, Eagle Rider (UR) Anti-Raid Boss Skill Card * Caldina, Ghouls' Friend (UR) Anti-Hidden Raid Boss Skill Card * Kalha, Freezing Fire (UR) Anti-Secret Raid Boss Skill Card * Mariassa, Fanning Flames (UR) Special Evolution Card blocks Bosses attacks. Story Your severed belly gushed blood. With a groan that sounded more to be of a wounded animal, you fumbled to return the organs through the gaping opening in your stomach. However, you soon found you had lost all strength in your arms, and as the warmth of life faded from your limbs, you dropped them to the ground in front of you. Before you could even begin to fear your imminent demise, you found yourself praying someone would save you... You gasped for breath, uttering the name of the arrogant fairy always by your side. "I'm so scared, Yvette." It was the first time your mortality had actually frightened you. As you felt the burning desperation, you reached out hoping that your arms would be met by the embrace of another. ... Having opened your eyes, the sight that greeted you was a beautiful face, like that of a fairy tale princess. Familiar as she seemed, you were unable to recall her name, so you probed the depths of your memory. "Yvette! The Hero has awoken!" But no sooner had the young woman called the selfish fairy's name than you felt an incredible pain dig deep into your temples. The floating continent... the Empire... the Insurgence... As your memory returned, you could feel your body begin to shake. Next your heartbeat quickened and your breaths grew shorter and shorter as the ensuing panic approached. "What is the matter?" At last the overbearing pain in your forehead began to subside, and you took notice of your surroundings: an unknown but tidy wooden room. You saw around you a table, two chairs, a single window, poultices, and a door rife with scratches. The sweet scent that filled the space was likely that of the elf sitting by your side, of Silmaria. As you continued to look around the relaxing chamber, you found your breathing was steadily returning to normal. "It seems... you have calmed down." You nodded, then noticed a small figure had appeared through the slightly opened door. "You... you're awake! You're okay?!" stammered Yvette, blushing deeply as she darted over to you. After giving you what could more readily be called a charge than an embrace, her head impacted the massive gash across your belly, causing you to almost faint from the pain. "You stupid dummy! Don't worry me like that!" she continued angrily, though her red, damp eyes easily gave away her true feelings. You had been easily defeated. What was more, you had almost perished. Your hands clenched into fists began to tremble; it was impossible to deny the fear and vexation. Never before had your death been so close. As shameful as it was to admit, you wished from the bottom of your heart to never again encounter Marshal Warren. ... It appeared that following your brutal defeat at the hands of the Marshal the elf had carried you to the headquarters of the Insurgence. Gallegos had been surprised you were "stouter than a dwarf," and, at this point, you had begun to feel that way yourself. At any rate, despite wounds from a sword tunneling through your body, you found you had already recovered enough to take a few steps around the room by yourself. Yvette following closely behind, you continued to decline Silmaria's quest to help you. This seemed to revive the fairy's pluck, enough that she again began to tease the elf. You surmised the two had grown closer while you were unconscious. You told the pair that you wished to look around the headquarters to take your mind off things, and Yvette and Silmaria decided they would accompany you as well. While they had initially resisted your going outside given your clearly wounded state, you felt it would only lower your spirits to stay bedridden in the same chamber for any longer. Yet their concern for letting someone so injured wander around by themselves was not unwarranted, and so you let them join you through the various huts and camps of the Insurgents. A river flowed through the edge of the plains, on the other side of which you could make out sporadic mountains and trees. You grimaced somewhat as you realized that where the Insurgents were stationed was much more akin to a campground than a headquarters. And while their numbers were not embarrassing, compared to the Empire and their steel airships, the difference in military might between the two factions was undeniable. There seemed to be all types of people gathered throughout the camp, and they were engaged in the various activities from the tempering of weapons to more commonplace chores. There were men whose faces were stricken with grief, women humming as they washed heaps of sullied clothes, and bright-eyed youths playing and practicing with wooden swords, yet you noticed that almost all of the Insurgents appeared to be a race other than human, and even the ones who appeared human had been consistently marked by the same mysterious tattoo. "The royal family calls them 'Baseborn,' according to what Silmaria told me. Those who aren't human are usually relegated to living on society's bottom floor. So it's not really surprising the Insurgence is mostly made up of non-humans," Yvette answered when you inquired about the situation. "She said that the humans' tattoos mark them as irredeemable criminals. It might be the case that some of them really are guilty of their crimes, but I'd have to guess that the majority are those being punished for having rebelled against the Empire." As you listened to the fairy's explanation, you caught sight of a young boy and girl with wolf-like ears sharing a meager loaf of bread. From the way they were smiling and laughing, you imagined they were likely brother and sister. Yet despite their cheery moods, you noticed that each bore a number of scars on their young frames and were almost frighteningly gaunt. You turned away, unable to bear the pity you felt inside of you. "The people here have to live simple. That includes eating nothing but stale and tasteless bread." "Is that so? I do not think it is so bad." "I don't mean to offend you, but I'm pretty sure you've never had a delicious thing in your life. I wouldn't eat something like that if it were the last food on this overgrown rock; it doesn't even seem that good for you." You again surveyed the grounds, noticing that everyone was as frail as the brother and sister from before. In fact, only the dwarfs had any weight to them. The stark reality that there was not even a chance their people could challenge the Elvarran empire struck you all the harder. If something were not done soon, you could only imagine how long it would be before they all starved to death. And you wished greatly to end their suffering. Yet even you did not know if you could complete such a task. After all, Warren's decisive victory had done more than mar your form, it had greatly challenged your confidence as well. You shivered as you thought on the possibility you would not succeed, meeting your doom aboard the Mother Ark so far away from your friends and your home. "It's not as hopeless as you think it is," now said Yvette with a sympathetic tone. Your long-time companion had accurately deciphered your expression. "I mean, if nothing else, there is certainly more than one person here who you've helped since coming aboard this massive hunk of steel. Look, there..." Yvette turned her head and pointed away from you with a smile. Following the line of her finger, you saw Gallegos waving as he ran towards you. "No matter what the future holds, I swear I will always be there to protect you," said Silmaria, suddenly taking your hand in hers. While it also served to greatly intensify your resolve, it made you recall you had forgotten to give proper thanks for her rescue. "Do not worry. It was something I did for myself as well. I truly believe that you are the only one who may be able to defeat the Empire." For one who had risked their life to save you, you wished to risk your own in return. Heeding the return of your fighting spirit, you firmly nodded in acknowledgment. ... "...Already walking around like that... Are you sure you're even human?" The question came from a red-skinned Baseborn male. Despite his thinness, his body was covered in steely muscles and two massive horns sprouted from the top of his head. Apparently, he was the leader of the Insurgence and primarily responsible for his compatriots' resistance against the Empire. Gallegos having led you to his tent, you noticed that weapons of various kinds were hung within. Their massive blades with serrated edges told you your new acquaintance had a somewhat boorish approach to tackling obstacles. "Hey, isn't it rude to talk to someone you don't even know like that?" Yvette's unrestrained tongue had returned, yet the leader of the Insurgence's only let out a hearty laugh. "Rude? You are indeed from another world, Yvette. I meant only to praise your companion. This recovery is indeed... superhuman." You were admittedly surprised that this new character had already learned Yvette's name. But you did not know how long you had been unconscious, and were content enough to believe they had been introduced while you were incapacitated. If anything, they were too kind to admit complete strangers into their fold. "Reminds me, I have yet to tell you my name. Sorry. It's Traugott... I'm responsible for commanding the troops of the Insurgence. I've already heard who you are from this... sprite." Traugott talked with a tone you predicted from his rough appearance. However, it did not make you uncomfortable. Contrary to his somewhat frightening form, he struck you as admirable and kind-hearted. "She says you were an equal match for Janesce. To be honest I didn't believe her at first, but... now that I have seen your recovery, I see what she meant. Guess she was right to call you a Hero." While phrased another way you might have despised Traugott's remarks, there was something about the way he spoke that made you chuckle to yourself. His personality easily explained why he was the chosen leader of the Baseborn. The reason he was respected by the other members of the Insurgence was also apparent. "A full recovery has yet to be made. I see no reason why such idle chatter cannot wait until tomorrow," Silmaria interjected on your behalf with a reserved tone. While you were grateful for Silmaria's concern, you did not think Traugott had summoned you merely to while away the hours. "True... Gallegos? This isn't the sort of conversation to be had standing up." "Gimme a break. Now you have me bringin' out the chairs?" "A true warrior is always willing to come the aid of another..." After Gallegos had set about arranging the furniture, muttering about his lot in life, Traugott turned to the matter at hand: What his strategy was and what part you were to have in it. ... Traugott explained in-depth about the Mother Ark's control towers, which were responsible for controlling various atmospheric factors like weather conditions and gravity aboard the ship. Apparently, there were mages who manipulated the elements and maintained ideal conditions in Elvarre. That was the crux of his plan: the Insurgence would first take control of the towers, then return them in exchange for tolerable living conditions. "The control towers are the Mother Ark's one true weakness. Once under our command, we could easily disturb the ecosystem for all of Elvarre. Subsequently... the Empire will no longer be able to ignore us once the towers are ours, as we would be in a position to cause the suffering of a great many if they do not heed our demands." As he discussed his strategy, Traugott was the face of seriousness. It was yet another reason he was an appropriate choice as leader. His tense mood filled the tent. "I dunno... seems kinda underhanded to me." "Things are what they are; we have no other options. We lack military might, resources, time... Anti-Insurgence policies and campaigns have only intensified, and we have lost most of our remaining allies. The number of actions we can take are limited." "But isn't that just blackmail? It would be better to strike them head on, no?" The leader of the Insurgence appeared to seriously consider Yvette's words. You wondered whether Yvette had troubled him unnecessarily, when he began to speak again. "I must get this out of the way: We do not act out of the interest of the general good... Our goal is to liberate those who have been cast to the bottom of society." "But violence only ever creates more violence." "So be it. I do not care whether or not I am perceived as good or evil. We have no food to eat, and we go through the world facing endless oppression. If I am able to free myself and the Baseborn from such a fate, then let me be seen as a villain!" You and Yvette had remained silent as you listened to the severity of Traugott's words. What good was there trying to convince someone who had already resigned themselves to such a fate. "Fine, okay then. But you'll promise they'll only be used for negotiations?" "You have my word. It has never been my intention to enact genocide." Deciding to trust Traugott, you nodded. Gallegos and Silmaria beside you kept quiet as they stood with obedient expressions. You imagined they likely felt similarly to Traugott, being members of the Insurgence themselves. The meeting finally at its end, Traugott granted you leave to return to the hut so that your wounds would not worsen further. Silmaria was first to leave the tent, followed by Gallegos and then at last Yvette. While you had decided to continue discussions at a later point, you were called once again by the red-skinned leader. "So, is it true that you and Silmaria have become... coupled?" Traugott's words sent your heart pounding. While you though immediately to answer in the negative, your tongue was tied. "Ah, then I was mistaken." You were still shocked by Traugott's sudden and severe change of subject when he let out another hearty laugh. "Though, truth be told, I was unaware there were any so beautiful in my Insurgence. And I never forget a pretty face..." You decided to ignore his cryptic utterance, and left the tent without another word. Apologizing for having kept the other three waiting, you walked out into the dark of night. The raid was not far off. Hoping to save your strength for your next perilous mission, you mentally prepared yourself for the battles ahead. Epilogue You had successfully reached the top of the master control tower, where a vast of array of functions like directing the Mother Ark through the depths of space and creating an ersatz sun for the people aboard the ship were performed. Traugott had informed you that the mages who lived and worked in the tower were not trained in combat, so you could not deny that the knowledge had caused you to let down your guard slightly. As a result, you were honestly surprised at the grueling challenges that had awaited you. Still, when you at last reached a large chamber at the top of the stairs, at least your surprise assault upon the eccentrically equipped mages had gone according to plan. They now lay unconscious on the floor in front of you, a result of your handiwork. "Seems like we've taken care of everyone in our way. If this is the control room, does that mean 'mission accomplished'?" Gallegos had entered the room just as the fairy was finishing her question. For a moment, he stood buckled over, inhaling great gasps of air. Then, when he had caught his breath, he answered: "Aye, there's no doubting it. Y'see that glowing sphere? Pretty sure they use it to control all the systems. That, along with the mage's equipment, is how we can run things around here." "You mean those weird gloves that they wear? All right. Though, before we do anything else, we should probably tie them up." It was not without some guilt that you followed the fairy's orders and tied the arms of the mages together with a metallic cord you found in the room. While you could not imagine its use, you noticed that it was incredibly sturdy, unlikely to be cut by any but the sharpest blades. You surmised it would more than suffice. When all the mages had been restrained, Yvette continued. "Well, both the tower and the mages are in our hands now. So far everything's gone according to plan. All right, Gallegos, why don't you go and tell Traugott we're ready for him." "M-me?!" "Of course, you! You're not the one who's tired out from fighting!" "Why... why can't you do it?" "Gally, you seriously didn't just ask a lady to do YOUR job?" The dwarf continued to hem and haw for a time, then stormed out of the room. But not more than a few moments had passed when you heard a man's yelp followed by the crashing sound of something, or someone, falling down the stairs. "Dwarves are supposed to be sturdy and rotund, right? I'm sure he's fine." You struggled to fake more than a light chuckle at Yvette's heartless words, and then, hoping the dwarf was all right, you listlessly looked over the room. Various machines were strewn throughout the solemn space, and the pedestal topped with the glowing sphere at its center made it seem like a shrine. The mechanisms and pedestal were connected with the same black cord, and the room as a whole seemed well-kept and tidy. "Why does it feel like a temple...?" Yvette's thoughts echoed your own. As if the appearance of each object had been considered as much as function, their ornateness made the space seem as much prepared for religious ceremony as it did its more practical uses. "Though they may be from far away, we still share the same taste in decor, huh?" Yvette continued. Then, suddenly, it looked like she had recalled something, and her eyes grew wide. For a while, she looked back and forth across the room, then seemed confused. "Come to think of it, didn't Silmaria say she was going to take the control room before we got here?" You followed Yvette's lead and once again surveyed your surroundings. Certainly, immediately proceeding the invasion of the tower, Silmaria had said she would take a hidden route to the control room before departing for a destination unknown. Yet it was evident she was not present. While you worried as to whether she had perhaps been taken by the enemy, your fairy companion continued her calm investigation. "I doubt it. Besides, we already took out all the automatons and monsters... probably." It certainly felt like you had battled through each one of the sentries stationed throughout the tower. And if, for some reason, you had left a few stragglers, they should not have impeded the elf. More, if she did happen to encounter a threat she was incapable of routing, you believed she would have the wherewithal to make an escape. "Maybe she... got lost? Or, the room we're in now only looks like the control room.... and the real one is hidden." "No, we are certainly in the control room." "Yeah, you're probably right. It didn't seem like a secret room when we got here, and Gallegos was sure..." Yvette paused mid-sentence. The conversation had flowed so naturally both of you had almost failed to notice, but you now realized together that you were not alone. You and the fairy made eye contact, then turned in the direction of the voice. Its owner was not difficult to find. Standing right before the glowing sphere was a brightly grinning young man. Yet before you could even start to think who he might be, you found your hand grip the hilt of your sword. You wondered when he had arrived, as he clearly had not concealed his presence while you and Yvette were carrying out your discussion. In fact, his appearance was somewhat uncanny: It was difficult to fathom how he could have traveled from the door all the way to the pedestal without you noticing in the slightest. Still stunned by his entrance, you prepared for the possibility of conflict. "Though there is a secret room, the one that holds the power source. Even more important than the control room. "H-hey! D-don't scare us like that! Who are you, anyway?!" "Me? I have been here since the beginning. I simply thought I'd keep an eye on you after seeing you storm the tower. You will have to pardon me for not introducing myself earlier; to be honest, I was unsure how wise it would be to show myself to members of the Insurgence. I was also interested in getting a sense of your strength, and it seems hand-to-hand combat would, indeed, be ill-advised." In this way, the mysterious young man apologized to you in his articulate and lively tone. He struck you as the picture of civility, as both his mannerisms and his words were composed and graceful. At the least, it seemed that you would not have to worry about combat. Relaxing your stance, you let out a sigh of relief. "Just... wait a sec. There's no way you've been here since the beginning! We looked in every nook and cranny of this place and we didn't see a thing..." "How about we just say I can be easily overlooked." "What are you on about?" stumbled Yvette, clearly flustered by the stranger's words. "I am talking about the power of my Anima, of course... reminds me, I almost forgot: The name's Chalon. I am a member of the Elvarran royal family." Hearing the words caused you to inhale sharply. From everything you understood, they meant it would be impossible for you to be allies. In fact, no sooner had he said them than the memory of past events swept over you, and you charged at him with full force. ... Whether they had been caused by your memory of your encounter with Janesce or your fear of Warren, you understood your actions had been impulsive. Still, you had felt deep within you there was not another choice. While Chalon easily guarded against all of your attacks, that was not what you found most surprising. It was almost impossible to understand, but, on countless occasions throughout the battle, you noticed he would disappear in plain sight. What was more, it was not that his speed was superhuman, nor was it that he became invisible. Rather, it only felt at times that you were fighting against something imperceptible, and, when you involuntarily stopped to reassess the situation, you found your enemy to be standing some distance away from you. "E-enough! I am no enemy of the Insurgence! If I were, why would I have shown myself to you to begin with?!" now said Chalon in a clearly anguished tone, putting up both of his hands. "I thought that you were a composed individual, but I see that I was mistaken... This is something of a letdown." "H-hey, you heard what he said. Why don't we hear him out?" asked Yvette, who had flown up to you and put a hand on your shoulder. Her soothing touch successfully returned you to your senses, causing you to realize how deeply you had been overtaken by frenzy. You wondered what had driven you to attack one whom had not yet been declared as friend or foe, and regretted your almost manic impulse. You were unaware that a single defeat could ever have such devastating effects on the stability of your psyche. As you silently reflected upon your weakness with disgust, Yvette continued her conversation with Chalon. "If you really are royalty, there must be something about the Empire which is causing you to talk with the Insurgence." "To think that the fairy would be the one to understand my situation... But, yes, you are correct. For now, I will ask you permit I leave out some of the more auxiliary details, but there is a reason I wish to cooperate with your rebel band." "Really, Chalon? Then this could really be a big break for us..." Yvette returned, her tone indicating that she herself had yet to make up her mind about the situation. "Well, I suppose asking for your complete trust is unreasonable at the moment. I would have preferred for our first... formal, for lack of a better word, encounter to have been under calmer circumstances. I am actually here now on entirely different business. I had no knowledge of your plan to take control of the tower, nor did I mean to surprise you the way I did." "And what different business would that be?" "I am here to rescue the Rapunzel." "Um, we're not from... around here, so it would really help if you could explain things in a bit more detail." "It is, nonetheless, what she is called. The one who provides energy to the tower, who is responsible for the continued creation of the composites..." "Like I said, we're not from the Mother Ark. I'm sorry but I really don't know what you're talking about." "...You mean you are from another planet?!" "Well, yeah. The planet of Neotellus." "That would explain it..." Chalon now muttered to himself. You had been keeping quiet as you sought to return to your senses, and you looked up again at the young man. There was nothing you could do about your regret, but you were not in a place to deal with it. His arms crossed, Chalon looked to be deep in thought for a time, then returned his gaze to you. For the first time, you recognized a hint of fear in his eyes. "So... it was you who went blow-for-blow with Janesce?" As you nodded, Chalon let out a laugh, exclaiming his thanks that you did not bring your all during your previous bout. The truth was, however, that you had not intended to go easy on your opponent. Had the battle continued you may have had to willingly accept defeat. Still, it seemed Chalon had appraised your skills as being greater than his own. "I see. Sometimes one finds help in the most unexpected places. I have... a favor to ask," said Chalon, as he now took a piece of paper from his coat. Inspecting it, you saw that on its front was drawn a map, and, on the back, a mysterious sigil you had not seen before. "Despite my appearance, I have what one might call a close relationship with the Empress. In fact, I am responsible for ruling over a region of Elvarre. You see the part circled in red? That is my domain. I live in the castle you see there. I would ask you send a member of the Insurgence to come and discuss matters with me, or, if not, you yourself will suffice. That sigil on the back is also the sign of the royal family. Show it to the border's guard and you will be permitted to enter into my lands." As you looked at it more closely, you found a variety of unfamiliar and perplexing symbols. However, even if you were unable to comprehend it, you thought that Traugott or Silmaria could likely decipher the map for you. Carefully rolling it up, you expressed you would fulfill Chalon's request. "You have my thanks, though I will admit I am shocked to see a member of the Insurgence would do something for royalty," Chalon said bemused, shaking his head. Then he continued, "Ah, there was one other matter." You prepared to hear whatever must have been his true request. "Even amongst the Empire, this information is highly classified, known only by those closest to the Empress. There is a secret, hidden room in this tower, in which a girl is imprisoned within a massive glass tube. I wish for you to rescue her and provide her shelter at your headquarters. The particulars are quite lengthy, so I will explain the rest when we next meet." Chalon said, then silently disappeared from your sight before you had a chance to respond. For the first time, you felt you had somewhat of an understanding of his ability: Even if he was standing or taking directly in front of you, the ability made it such that you were unable to perceive his presence. You now grasped why you would lose track of him during your bout. However, with that knowledge in mind, you could also begin to think of a counter measure. Though it truly did appear you would not have to duel again. You and Yvette now made your way for the hidden room, to save the so-called "Rapunzel." When you finally found it, however, the room was horrifying to behold. And there, at its center, was Silmaria, trembling in shock. "What's going on here?!" shouted Yvette, causing Silmaria to flinch. You wished to ask the frightened elf what she was doing and to explain the situation, but the dread on her pale face prevented you from doing so. She slowly turned towards you, then ran and buried her face in your chest. "When I arrived... it was already..." It seemed Silmaria was incapable on speaking of it further. Traces of saliva around her mouth signaled she likely vomited when she saw the ghastly scene. Strewn through the room were four corpses. Three wore the same outfits as the mages, collapsed on the floor of the enigmatic room, blood gushing from their lacerated necks. The forth was in the smashed glass tube at the room's center. You could not be sure if it was the tower's Rapunzel or not. The corpse was pulverized, such that you could no longer tell any of its physical properties or even whether it had been male or female. As if each body part had been thoroughly rent and torn, the hideous lump of battered flesh reminded you more of a composite than any human. Chapters/quests Raid bosses Individual rewards Half-time rankings Final rankings Lucky ranking Mega lucky ranking Daily ranking Repel rewards Guild Rewards Final Rankings Repel Rewards Category:Raid Events Category:Vengeance Rises Category:Mother Ark